Gravel stop spliced butt joint



Dec. 1-0, 1968 H. R. WINDLE 3,415,020

GRAVEL STOP SPLICED BUTT JOINT Filed March 27, 1967 INVENTOR HERBERT R. WINDLE A'T'TO R N EY United States Patent 3,415,020 GRAVEL STOP SPLICED BUTT JOINT Herbert R. Windle, 530 W. Cucharras, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80905 Filed Mar. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 626,006 1 Claim. (Cl. 52-96) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A gravel stop splicing section for butt joining the anchor strip and upwardly extending flange of two lengths of gravel stop. The splicing section has a flat anchor strip with a bent edge forming a depending flange folded back upon itself and extended upwardly beyond the anchor strip to form .a single thickness rib over which the hemmed flanges of the gravel stop are clamped in abutting relation.

The present invention relates generally to gravel stops, that is, a structural piece adapted to be applied to the edge of a roof for preventing loose roofing material, such as gravel or other solid aggregate which is applied to the roof, from being lost over the edge thereof. Gravel stops are commonly used in connection with roofs which are horizontal or only slightly inclined and on which the socalled built-up type of roof is applied, as by applying alternate layers of tar and tar paper, such layers then being covered by an aggregate mixture such as gravel. A flat metal anchor strip having an upwardly bent flange which is bent back upon itself and depends for a distance alongside the fascia board is commonly interlaced between the layers of tar paper at the edge of the roof to act as a stop to retain the loose aggregate material on the roof. If the gravel stop could be made in one continuous piece, there would be little likelihood of any problem developing but since, as a practical matter, the strips of gravel stop material are produced in relatively short lengths, the joints made between adjoining sections tend to create drainage problems because the joints of the prior art are formed by merely overlapping the ends of two identical pieces of gravel stop material. More specifically, the small space between the overlapped metal ends acts, by capillary action, to literally invite water to seep and run between the pieces of gravel stop and thence between the layers of roofing built-up, all to the end of damaging and destroying the integrity of the roof.

It is therefore the principal object of the invention to provide an improved gravel stop joint which will actually route water away from the built-up roofing materials and carry it over the side of the roof where it can fall harmlessly to the ground.

A second object of the invention is to provide a gravel stop joint which will increase the strength of the joint and which will also improve its appearance by utilizing a butt joint principle as contrasted to the prior practice of overlapped joints.

Other and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description of a preferred form of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross section of a typical built-up roof showing the roof joist, fascia board, gravel stop and roofing material.

FIGURE 2 is a rear fragmentary elevational view of the splicing section of the present invention showing the splicing section of the present invention with a length of gravel stop shown clamped to the upstanding rib of the 3,415,020 Patented Dec. 10, 1968 splicing section and an .adjoining section of gravel stop shown in dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a prospective view showing two lengths of gravel stop clamped into nearly abutting relationship on the rib of the splicing section of the present invention.

Referring first to the prospective view of FIGURE 4, the commonly used gravel stop construction is indicated generally by the reference numeral 4. It comprises an .anchor strip 6 of metal having an upturned flange 8 which is bent back upon itself and continued downwardly and perpendicular to the strip 8 to form a depending skirt 10. In the process of forming a roof edge, it is necessary to join together several lengths of the gravel stop 4 and one such joint is shown in FIGURE 4. The purpose of the present invention are achieved by utilizing a novel splice section 12 onto which both adjacent lengths of gravel stop material are clamped in mutually abutting relationship by each being overlapped on the splice section 12.

As viewed in FIGURES 2 and 4 the construction of the splice section 12 can be seen to include a metal strip 14 of approximately the same width as the strip 6 of the gravel stop 4, having a downwardly turned flange 15 which is bent back upon itself and extended upwardly past the level of the strip 14 to form a single thickness rib 17 onto which the hemmed flange 8 of the gravel stop is clamped.

Utilizing the foregoing described construction for a joint allows the moisture which seeps through the butt joint between two lengths of gravel stop to follow a course which leads outwardly of the strip 14 and down into the open ended hem formed by the section flange 15. The moisture may be released from either of the open ends of the flange 15. It is thus seen that with the drain path provided by the splicing section 12, there is no tendency for water to migrate inwardly toward the layers of roofing material. It may also be noted that the butt joint which is permitted by the use of the splicing section provides more rigidity to the joint and creates a smooth flat joint between adjoining lengths of gravel stop.

Having thus described the several useful and novel features of the improved gravel stop of the present invention in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the many worthwhile objectives for which it was designed have been achieved. Although but a few of the several possible embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, I realize that certain additional modifications may well occur to those skilled in the art within the broad teaching hereof: hence, it is my intention that the scope of protection afforded hereby shall be limited only insofar as said limitations are expressly set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

1. An improved gravel stop joint comprising:

two adjoining lengths of gravel stop each having:

a horizontally disposed strip adapted to be interleaved between .adjacent layers of roofing paper;

a raised double flange perpendicular to the strip and attached thereto, said flange having a hemmed upper edge;

a splicing section having:

a flat horizontal strip; a depending hemmed flange perpendicular to and integral with the strip of the splicing section; and

a raised single rib member comprising an upward extension of the outside of said section flange;

the gravel stop flanges b raised rib and 'abutted together.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS eing clamped onto the said Ager 52--16 Waring 5296 Cheney 5258 X Sharp 52-300 X HENRY C. SUTHERLAND, Primary Examiner.

C. G. MUELLER, Assistant Examiner.

Dawson 5297 X 10 52-58, 300, 726

US. Cl. X.R. 

